


Meet and Greet

by megastarstrike



Series: Eccentric Disasters [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: DONT TAKE THIS TOO SERIOUSLY, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Post-Canon, futaba attends kosei au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-28
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2020-05-28 12:11:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19393864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megastarstrike/pseuds/megastarstrike
Summary: [8:05] Yusuke:Would you care to meet me by the school gates before classes?[8:05] Yusuke:There is someone important I’d like you to meet.Hifumi readily admitted she wasn't the best at interpreting texts, but that was possibly the most suspicious text she had ever received from her best friend.





	Meet and Greet

**Author's Note:**

> technically a sequel to Solidarity in Suffering (link here bc im a dumbass who cant html: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19318237) but it's not necessary to read to understand this

Hifumi liked to think she knew her friends (well,  _ friend) _ like the back of her hand. After countless hours of playing shogi, painting, and just goofing off like the normal high schoolers they never got to be in the past, she had learned about Yusuke’s favorite food (technically none since he was such a nerd about food), his hobbies (painting and people-watching, because of course), his past (... she didn’t like to think about that), and of course, his role in her mother’s sudden change of heart. It wasn’t like he had been subtle about it… In fact, nothing about him was subtle. He never failed to speak his mind even when it wasn’t convenient  _ (especially _ when it wasn’t convenient, as she had learned during one unfortunate trip to Yongen-Jaya when a passerbyer happened to make the wrong comment about the wrong coffee shop…).

But this? This worried her.

**[8:05] Yusuke:** Would you care to meet me by the school gates before classes?  
**[8:05] Yusuke:** There is someone important I’d like you to meet.

Their conversation had taken a sudden turn from a pleasant, inoffensive discussion about their anticipation for the first day of a new school year to Hifumi meeting Yusuke’s… something? Friend? Girlfriend? Co-thief? His wording was subtle, as if he was careful to choose ambiguous words that hid his true feelings. It was like he had purposely chosen to conceal the person’s identity.

Or she was reading far too much into this and Yusuke really just was this absent-minded. Oh, well. She knew what she was getting herself into when she signed up for this friendship, and it wasn’t like she was any better.

She tapped back an answer.

**[8:06] Hifumi:** That won’t be a problem. I should be at school in five minutes.  
**[8:06] Hifumi:** Could you provide me with a bit more information about this person before I meet them?  
**[8:06] Yusuke:** Absolutely not. That would take away the art of surprise.  
**[8:06] Hifumi:** I think you mean ‘element’ of surprise…  
**[8:07] Hifumi:** Why would that be necessary anyway?  
**[8:07] Yusuke:** Have faith in me.

Hifumi snorted and pocketed her phone. Yusuke was the same as always, it seemed. That was a good sign.

Still, she couldn’t help but wonder just who this person was or what weird way they and Yusuke came to know each other.

* * *

The school gates hadn’t changed from the last time she had seen it: a tall, white gate blocking access to the main entrance of the school with recently trimmed green bushes lined next to it. Yusuke stood at the open gates with his phone in hand, his eyebrows furrowed as he texted rapidly.

Hifumi smiled and waved. “Yusuke, I’ve arrived.”

Yusuke’s face brightened. He pocketed his phone as Hifumi approached him. “Good morning, Hifumi. I assume you saw my text?”

“I literally replied to you.”

“Ah.”

There was the sound of a giggle from behind Yusuke before it abruptly stopped when they fell silent.

“I would like you to meet my friend,” Yusuke said. He paused to allow a girl much shorter than him to step to the side cautiously, her fists pulling down on the shirt of her uniform.

The girl had long, orange hair and glasses. She was dressed in the customary blue and black uniform of Kosei High School, the striped ribbon tied almost too perfectly. A pair of headphones hung around her neck. Instead of plain white socks, she wore black ones with mini UFOs embroidered into them. Simply put, she was adorable, and Hifumi couldn’t believe Yusuke had somehow become friends with her.

Hifumi couldn’t help but smile. “Hello, I’m Hifumi Togo. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you around Kosei before.”

“Because this is my first year here,” the girl said. “But I’m a second-year.”

“What’s your name?”

“... Futaba Sakura.”

Futaba? The so-called programming genius? The one who helped in the mission for changing her mother’s heart? The one who Yusuke wouldn’t shut up about?

Judging by vaguely pained expression on Yusuke’s face when Hifumi sent him a curious glance, this was indeed the right Futaba. Still, that didn’t resolve the issue at hand; she looked like she was ready to rocket away at any moment. Hifumi needed to get her to relax. But if their only known commonality was being friends with Yusuke, how could she achieve that?

Actually…

Hifumi’s smile morphed into a smirk for a split second, but it had been enough for Yusuke to catch onto what she was thinking. And honestly, props to him for that—for once, he didn’t have his head in the clouds. Something must have been keeping him grounded for the time being. Or  _ someone. _

Yusuke narrowed his eyes just the slightest bit.  _ Hifumi, don’t you dare _ .

Hifumi sent back a challenging gaze.  _ Watch me. _

Futaba watched their interaction with a puzzled expression on her face. “Are you guys… communicating through telepathy? No way! Inari, try it with me!”

Inari? A nickname? And one that wasn’t terrible offensive, to boot.

“In order for telepathy to work, I believe the two parties must be able to see directly into each other’s eyes,” Yusuke snorted.

“You’d better not have just called me short.”

“It’s true, is it not?”

Hifumi knew that playful twinkle in his eyes well. It was highly unlikely Yusuke hadn’t worded his sentence in that way by accident.

Futaba huffed and whirled around to Hifumi. “Hey, you’re Yusuke’s girlfriend, aren’t you? Can’t you tell him he’s wrong?”

Wait. Seriously?

Hifumi and Yusuke locked eyes before turning back to Futaba.

“There are so many things wrong with that sentence I don’t know where to begin,” Yusuke said.

“I have to agree,” Hifumi added. She could feel laughter ready to bubble up in her throat. “After all,  _ I’m _ not the person he wants to date.”

Futaba’s smile twisted into a mischievous smirk, and Yusuke looked like he regretted every decision that had led him to this moment.

Futaba’s eyes sparkled as she rounded on Yusuke. “Oh my god, it’s totally Akira, isn’t it? Or maybe you’re more into idiots like Ryuji? Oh, what about Ann? Isn’t she so pretty?”

Hifumi only shrugged when Yusuke gave her an unamused look. Still, there was no malice behind his gaze. That was a relief.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if you liked Makoto either. I ain’t kinkshaming if you like spikes. Or pain, if you’re into Haru.”

“Please stop,” Yusuke mumbled, hiding his face behind one hand.

Futaba poked him. “Then tell me.”

“I can’t.”

“A clue, maybe?”

Yusuke retracted his hand and looked her up and down. “They’re a very stubborn person, I believe.”

“Well, shit, that could be anyone. That’s a horrible clue.”

“Exactly. Stop asking me invasive questions.”

“Miss me with that romantic shit, huh? Your charm stat’s nonexistent!” Futaba tugged on the sleeve of his shirt. “I can’t believe I’ve gotta help you with this. Walk me to class. You’ll level up for sure if you actually pay attention."

Yusuke sighed and resigned himself to his fate. “Fine. Though you didn’t need to mention leveling up for me to go with you.”

Looks like her suspicions were correct. She bit back a laugh. Would she be witness to scenes like this every morning for the rest of the school year? She hoped so.

He turned towards Hifumi. “Until class, Hifumi.”

“Until class,” Hifumi repeated. She watched as Yusuke and Futaba disappeared into the building.

Futaba offered her a shy wave while Yusuke turned around to shoot her one last blank face.

Hifumi smiled back and waved.

She would most certainly face the consequences of her actions later, but for now, she had no regrets about throwing her best friend under the bus.

**Author's Note:**

> hello i love yusuke and hifumi being good friends and i also love yutaba so. [gestures at trash]


End file.
